To analyse a mock, list every question where you lost marks, tag each with a skill and a cause, then count. The pattern tells you what to practise, which a single total cannot.
You can store the list in the mistake log and retest queue, which keeps notes on your own device and groups similar errors.
Why is the total not enough?
Two students can both score 42 out of 60 and need completely different work. One lost marks to arithmetic slips, while the other never started the last two questions. The totals match; the repairs do not.
How do I sort the lost marks?
For each question where you lost marks, write three things:
- Skill: what was the question asking you to do?
- Cause: method gap, careless slip, misread question or ran out of time.
- Marks lost.
Then add up by cause and by skill.
Worked example
A school mock is out of 60. Nadia scores 42, so she lost 60 − 42 = 18 marks. Her sorted list:
| Question area | Skill | Cause | Marks lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3, Q7 | Sign handling in algebra | Careless slip | 4 |
| Q10, Q11 | Last two questions | Ran out of time | 6 |
| Q5 | Command word “show that” | Skipped a step | 3 |
| Q9 | Trigonometry in a context | Method gap | 5 |
Check: 4 + 6 + 3 + 5 = 18, which agrees with the marks lost.
What the table shows:
- 10 of the 18 marks (4 + 6) are not method gaps. They relate to accuracy and pace.
- Only 5 marks come from a method gap, in one skill.
The plausible mistake. Nadia’s first reaction is “I need to revise everything”. The table says otherwise: a small set of repeated causes, and one real gap. Revising everything would spend hours on topics that cost her no marks.
What do I do with the result?
- Put the method gap first, because it will not fix itself with practice of the same kind.
- Treat slips with a checking habit, such as substituting back or reading the answer line again.
- Treat time as a pacing skill: practise under a timer, as this guide on time pressure and home work explains.
- Turn the result into a few short sessions with a small practice plan.
Self-check
- A student scores 48 out of 80. How many marks were lost?
Show answer
80 − 48 = 32 marks. - She loses 12 marks to misreading questions and 8 to a method gap. Which should she address first and why?
Show answer
The method gap, because it needs new understanding. The misreading can be reduced with a reading habit that costs little time, but the gap will not shrink without teaching or study.
When might one-to-one tuition be worth considering?
A teacher can help when you cannot tell whether a lost mark was a slip or a gap, or when several skills seem weak at once. Reading your actual paper with you turns a vague worry into a short, ordered list.
The trial is a paid one-hour class from RM80, with the rate confirmed before the lesson. See how it works and the subject tuition pages.